Heavenly Birth Order

I read an article about sibling birth order last week.  It was really nothing new - oldest over-achievers, second-born free spirits (which label, being a second-born, I prefer over "wild child"), on down to youngest children who tend to be a little lazy (my apologies to any youngest children reading this - don't shoot the messenger).  I thought about it related to my own siblings, questioned how on earth it might play out in a family like my mom's with 10 - 10!- siblings, and then reflected on my own kids for a bit.

 

While I have no real doubts that birth order can influence personalities, these reflections made me wonder if maybe researchers are a little short-sided.  I pictured my own kids waiting in heaven for their chance to join our family on earth.  If you know us even a little, you will have no trouble picturing an  intense  Cole lobbying hard to be the oldest.  And I'm glad he won.  Heaven help the unsuspecting soul foolish enough to mess with Cole's little brother or sisters - every family needs a loyalist like Cole.  Annie, the peacemaker that gives her seat to her brothers every time there is an argument, would probably acquiesce her claim with a quick shake of her head and say, "That's fine.  I'll go next."  Happy-go-lucky Ben was probably too busy working and playing and just being busy to bother with the discussion and was fine with whatever arrangement was made.

  

And sweet Molly?  Smiley, happy, giggly, snuggly, bright-eyed little Molly?  If forced to choose just one adjective to label her with, I'd pick "content."  She cries when she is hungry or tired, but otherwise she seems perfectly content with life, even when three older and more vocal siblings steal attention that should rightly be hers.  I'm pretty sure she was content to wait in Heaven while her siblings joined our family here on earth.  Let's just call "lazy" "content," shall we?  Cause while she might be content with life, I don't think that means she won't do great things.  

This little family synopsis is far from definitive.  Their personalities certainly have more depth than this portrays.  Cole's intensity sometimes hides his incredibly tender heart and Annie's peacemaker status at times gives way to a stubbornness that catches us off-guard.  I have no doubt that they'll continue to surprise me at times. I suppose what I'm trying to say here is that maybe there is a little more to birth order personality traits than just what we see play out on earth.  Maybe we developed these traits long, long ago and a very wise Heavenly Father places us in our families where we fit best.  It's hard to say, but I myself am content to see how their little traits come together to make our family dynamic what it is.